Gotham City
by hiphop13Nevermore
Summary: A new fanfic from me! Yay! I'm so happy! :) My first completely Young Justice fanfic. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! A new story from me! Yay! I will develop the plot as I go along, so it's kind of worthless to ask for spoilers. :)

Enjoy!

**Chapter 1**

Click, beep, honk.

The noises I heard were strange and unnatural. Being used to life on a farm made anything in the city seem huge and loud and frightening. I was scared of everything in this gigantic city. San Francisco was too new and different for me. I hated it. I wanted to be back in the sunny farmland instead of here, where everything was in the shade of the large, skyscraping apartments and offices.

My younger sister tapped me on the shoulder, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"What?" I squawked. I was on edge, nearly to the breaking point. I slapped her hand away and gave her a dirty look.

"You're going left. Dad said turn right here. Gosh, why are you so jumpy today?"

"It's this damn city. I hate it so much. It's so big, and-and… unnerving. I don't want to live in a city where the regular, everyday threat is being mugged, raped or murdered."

My sister had been twelve at the time, and she pushed away her thick, golden locks to look at me. Her eyes were like Mom's, her hair colour like Dad's. I had been sure she knew about those things, and about Mom's secret, too. But right at that moment, I wasn't so sure.

"I don't like it any more than you do," She managed. "But if Dad's going to get a job here-"

She tried to finish, but I cut her off.

"Then I'll run away."

Her eyes widened visibly. "Do you really mean it?"

"Yes."

I gave her a stiff death stare. Turning away, she murmured, "Turn left," so quietly I almost thought she hadn't said anything. She was scared, I could tell that, and it worried me.

_Oh, great. _I thought. _Now she's upset._ Finally I said loudly, "It'd be funny if it wasn't so pathetic. Aw, what the heck, I'll laugh anyway. Ahaaaahaaaaa!"

It worked. My sister collapsed into fits of laughter. If I hadn't bought my new car (A/N-The speaker-I won't give it away yet ;)-is eighteen during this story. Send me a message if you want more details!), Mom and Dad would have been in the front and would have yelled, "What's going on back there? Are you two alright?"

They always have been worry-warts.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was a few days later, and surprisingly, I was getting used to the city. Things seemed almost normal, aside from one minor detail.

Dad.

He had been acting very strangely lately. He was gone at random hours of the day. Mom blamed his new job, but neither my sister nor I were buying it. But, then again, Mom was acting oddly, too.

Until one day, I finally knew the truth.

"Paula, I'm home!" Dad whispered. Arty and I were sitting in our shared room, reading. Arty jumped up immediately when she heard our father.

"Daddy!" She yelled, racing to hug the tall, broad man. She stopped short as she saw him. I crept out behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"Dad," Was all I said. All I could get out. Frankly, Arty and I stared. He was wearing a battered grey and black suit, and a grey face mask.

"Oh, Lawrence, good, you're ho- Girls, what are you still doing up?" Our mother, Paula, asked, a shocked look drifting across her face for a moment. At first, I thought she was surprised at Dad, but then her face turned to a look of anger. "Answer me."

"Sorry, Mom. I told Arty to go to bed, but she didn't listen to me, and I figured if she was going to be stubborn, I had better stay up and watch her." I explained.

"Well, you should be in bed," Mom replied tersely.

Dad was watching us with a smirk on his face. I could tell, because he had taken off the mask.

"Don't get uptight, Mom." I hissed. I wanted an explanation, and right away. "Why don't you and Dad just explain what's going on."

I could tell Arty was about to collapse into tears. I scooped her up in my arms and sat on the couch with her. "Mom? Dad? Are you going to answer?"

"Paula, why don't you tell them? Ladies first."

Paula gave a long, drawn out sigh. "Well, it started about a year ago, when your dad was looking for a new job. Finally, he found one. It was a wonderful day, that day, when he came home and told us he had gotten a job from a major company.

"Well, he hadn't officially met with his bosses by then. He had only met with their representatives for a short meeting, and they said he could have the job if he wanted it. They also said that if I came in, I could get a job, too.

"Well, at that point, I didn't want a job, because I had to take care of my beautiful girls." She gave a warm smile to her daughters.

Arty responded immediately with a cute grin, but Jade was skeptical. She gave a teeny, fake smile, and stated firmly, "Continue, please."

"Alright. We should sit." Paula calmly settled into the pillows, but Arty and I were already sitting.

"I'm going to go get changed. I'll be right back." Lawrence Crock announced, slipping out of the room.

"Alright," Paula uttered, pushing herself further into the pillows. "Anyway, he finally met his bosses after they told him to move here.

"They are dark people, girls. Don't go around them. Ever.

Anyway, they told him he had to wear a suit and go out and do his job at odd hours. At first, he kept coming home saying, 'Why do I even have this job? I hate it.' But soon enough, he got used to it. In fact, he _likes _it now. He says I should get a job there. Maybe even all of us at some point."

Arty gasped. "What kind of people are they that we can't go around them, but Daddy has to work for them?"

"Bad people," Mom's face went hard when she thought about them. Her almond shaped eyes twisted sharply. "Bad people,"

She let out a deep, coarse breath, before continuing, "Time for bed, girls!"

Dad stepped into the room just then, giving an exuberant smile. "Do I get a bedtime hug from my girls?"

"I love you, Daddy." Arty murmured, racing over to her father. "Goodnight,"

I slid over to him, but instead of giving him a hug and saying goodnight, I only gave him an annoyed stare to imply, 'I don't know if I can trust you anymore.'

He gave a small frown. "Night," He muttered, before he trotted into his room, where Mom was waiting.

I swirled around to meet Arty, who asked, "Why didn't you hug Daddy?"

"Because I can't." I cantered into our room and face planted onto my bed.


	3. Chapter 3

_I have nothing that needs saying. Send me a message if you need/want any more details about my stories. Or me, or myself, or I. Take your pick._

Chapter 3

_I hover above a young, raven-haired man, holding a sai sword in my left hand._

"_Ta-ta," I whisper, smirking. "Hope you remember me."_

I gasped and sat straight up in the bed. After Dad had confessed his secret night job, I had had horrible dreams of murdering people. To some, they would be awfully disturbing, but to me, they were fun.

And that scared me nearly out of my wits.

I forced a smile on as Mom stepped out of her bedroom, clad in an old terry robe with a towel around her hair.

"Good morning, dear. Did you sleep well last night?" She asked me, oblivious to the confusion painted on my face.

"Yes, thanks," I lied. I was not at all willing to tell _anyone, _not even my little confidant, Arty, of my horrific nightmares that felt like simple dreams to the version of me in them.

My thoughts were temporarily cut off by Arty skipping in; a concealing and sweet look on her face.

"Morning, Momma. Morning, Jaya."

My brows furrowed. She hadn't used that pet name since she was six. It was her special name for me when she needed to talk, or thought I did, but didn't want anyone to know.

When I was sure Mom was busily flipping pancakes, frying bacon, and slicing strawberries, I leaned over and whispered in Arty's ear, "What's up?"

"You. Are you okay? You look kind of sad, or scared."

"I… it's nothing."

_Tell her, _my thoughts pushed. _She hasn't told anyone your secrets before, has she?_

"I'll tell you after breakfast."

"O-okay," she sighed, but shot me a concerned look.

I whisked my gaze away from her swiftly to look over at our young mother. "I'm going to go take a quick shower," I announced.

"Alright. Everything should be about done in ten or fifteen minutes, though, so you'd better make it quick," Mom replied, not removing her gaze from the sizzling bacon strips.

"Kay," I tossed over my shoulder, before disappearing into the bathroom.

**NY**

After a particularly tasteless breakfast, I trudged into Arty and my room.

I heaved out a heavy sigh and I unceremoniously flopped down on my bed to stare at my 'Alice in Wonderland' poster.

Artemis came in softly and floated over to me, her worried eyes on me.

"Now," she started, "You tell me what the matter is."

I smiled slightly. She was only eight, but knew how to approach me; directly. "I had another dream last night."

Her face obviously switched from concern to sympathy. "Was it… was it bad?"

"No, more strange than bad. I was about to kill someone, but it didn't feel wrong." I shivered. "That's what scares me the most."

Whoop-dee-whoop! Another filler chapter! Joy of all joys…

I can be so stupid sometimes! I just realized that their house is in Gotham City, not New York! Dang.


	4. Chapter 4

Glorious me! Two chapters in a day! (Or night, at about 1 when I should be asleep.) Really, the previous chapter was just sitting in its folder… But that's not the point! Anyways, hope you enjoy!

Her long eyelashes fluttered as she stared at me, wide-eyed.

"You were… killing someone?"

"Yes," I replied, rolling over to look her in the eyes. "But, like I said, it didn't _feel _wrong. And that scares the shit out of me."

She collapsed down onto her bed, rubbing her eyes. I now noticed they were reddish and darkly underlined from lack of sleep.

"Is Dad's job getting to you, too?" I asked her.

She turned to face me, looking uncertain. "C'mon," I coaxed. "It's not like I've ever told any of your secrets."

She glared at me stiffly. "Alright there was the one time… but that's not the point!"

She sighed and stared at the ceiling, mentally traced the ribbon-like crack in the drywall.

"I've been having weird dreams, too," she started, but trailed off. I grabbed her hand gently. "But they're not about killing others. They're about… _saving _others. Helping them. Putting bad people in jail."

She twisted to face me again, still holding my hand. "But I hope it doesn't mean anything for our futures."

**NY**

For the rest of the morning, we simply hung out together, me drawing at one point, then reading, then coloring in a finished drawing while she browsed through a magazine and her history homework.

Lunch came and went, and we all went our separate ways. I headed to the mall to meet my friends (a previously planned engagement) and Arty went to go call a friend from school. Mom headed to the exercise bike.

After I got home, we ate supper (just another tasteless meal to me) and drifted off.

Bedtime came, and Arty and I crawled under the covers and sheets, seeking warmth.

I reached for her, and she clasped my hand, giving me a light smile and one word I'll never forget.

"Hope."


	5. Chapter 5

So far this has just been mindless drabble. Don't worry; I'll get to the real story soon!

Days went by. In my mind they all melted together. It became troublesome to even get up in the morning. Finally, there came a day when it all became distinct again.

"Darlings, I'm thinking of getting a job."

I dropped my fork. Thankfully, it landed on my plate.

Arty's eyes opened extremely wide, and she paused in the middle of a bite of her applesauce.

My father appeared perfectly serene, as if he'd expected it, and continued sipping his coffee.

I finally found my voice. "Come again?"

"I said I'm thinking of getting a job again. Arty is almost old enough to take care of herself, and I'm getting bored just sitting around all the time."

"Where?" Arty asked, removing her spoon from her mouth.

"I was thinking, the same place your dad works."

My eye twitched. "You're kidding."

"Not at all," she replied. "Why, what's wrong with where your dad works?"

"Isn't it… dangerous?" Arty whispered. "I want to still have my mom when I get to middle school."

"It isn't that dangerous. Besides, if I got a job there, it would most likely not even be in the field."

I sighed. "Okay. But don't come to me if you get hurt."

"Jade…" Her voice was a warning, but her solemn look broke when she saw the mischievous look on my face and the twinkle in my eye as I cleared my place.


End file.
